Michael Everet wrote:
Thank you. I use Silver Efex also and was wondering if you did. I find the algorithms excellent for BW in it. Your work shows, however, it's not just the program, but what you can do with it.
Definitely agreed. I said that somewhere before, when I see certain B&W pictures here, I can almost be certain they are Rene's work, without looking at the name of the poster. Her B&W just have the distinctive looks that are hard to describe. Same goes to Werner's too.
A trip last week with my wife to her home town of Wenzhou, the most affluent, per capita, city in China. One of her friends owns a totally unique wine cellar - located in the old city bunker in the tunnels of a hill located in the city centre. They were built in 1956 in readiness for a potential war with Taiwan, Wenzhou being situated on the coast and almost opposite Taiwan.
The tunnels have been converted with many of the alcoves sealed off and environmentally controlled as private vaults - accessible only by fingerprint / key code access. All of the tunnels have climate control if required but the tunnels are a constant 20C. The walls have naturally been waterproofed as otherwise water would seep through and there is a well that often overflows but right outside the door of this vault a water drainage system has been installed.
There are many tunnels and hundreds of alcoves and I was warned not to stray from the main well lit tunnels as otherwise I may get lost ! Clients can come and entertain, or choose a wine here, and wine is stored here to supply many of the city's top restaurants. There are bottles from many vintages and from all over the world, ranging in price from maybe US$10 a bottle up to US$50,000 or more a bottle, access to those is restricted but I was shown bottles up to US$30,000.
I was totally unaware we would be visiting this previously unknown to me location so, with the friends' permission I just used a Tamron 17mm on a Sony A7r and a Sigma 24-105A on a D800E (note that none of the Nikon shots appear below).
These shots are all from the Tamron 17/3.5 and though I've owned this lens for a year this is the first time I've used it ! It's a fun lens, and reasonably sharp, though PF is quite high and needs to be addressed in post. All are handheld and many shots were at ca. 1/25 and 6,400 ISO so they wouldn't bear up to close scrutiny ! I'd like to go back there, with more time than the 30 mins I had and with a tripod to allow me expose at 100 ISO.
The Entrance - 50m away is a busy 6 lane road through the city.
Communist Propaganda on the walls near the entrance.
Seating to sit and sip drinks are scattered about.
The Tunnels are a maze inside the hill. Different tunnels house wine by specific regions.
One alcove houses wine up to US$30,000 per bottle - and this isn't even a vaulted alcove !
There is a Well that frequently floods but the floors and walls are all water-proofed and there is a drainage system right outside the door. This vault housing exceedingly ancient Chinese Rice Wine.
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